Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has announced his next film, a social drama, titled 'Bheed'. The film will be a socio-political drama starring actor Rajkummar Rao in the leading role. While talking about the film, Anubhav said, “Bheed is one of those titles that the whole team jumps at the moment you propose it.” This is the first time the filmmaker is working with Rajkummar. On his collaboration with the actor, Anubhav said, "To me, casting was crucial. Raj is a very intriguing actor. He is one of the very few actors who can be so successfully transparent in a story. There always was a keen desire to work with him and I am looking forward to it." Rajkummar shared his excitement and said, “I am thrilled to be working with Anubhav Sinha. It's a matter of great honour and privilege to collaborate with a filmmaker who has such a distinct voice. This is an important subject and the character needs me to stretch myself as an artist, beyond my comfort zone. I can’t wait to start shooting and lose myself in this universe.” Bheed marks Anubhav’s reunion with Bhushan Kumar after the success of Thappad. It is jointly produced by Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series and Anubhav's Benaras Mediaworks. Taking about his relationship with Anubhav, Bhushan shared, “Anubhav and I have a long standing relationship since Tum Bin. And every outing together is even more exciting than the last one. Thappad is a film I am incredibly proud of and I can’t wait for Bheed to kick off. It’s another of Anubhav’s deeply stirring stories and I am so proud to join hands with him yet again on this one.” The film is expected to go on floors in November, as the unit continues their extensive pre-production for the next few weeks. It will be shot across Lucknow.

Ever imagined munching 14 different varieties of hygienically-prepared samosas under one roof? If not, do try samosas in various stuffing from egg to keema, barbeque chicken to tandoori chicken, corn and cheese to daal and water chestnuts to potatoes at this eatery that promises something for everyone. When Diksha Pande and Amit Nanwani thought of starting their entrepreneurial journey in the food industry, they came to know that several multinational companies were experimenting with American foods. But Indian snacks never gained the spotlight. Even among Indian players, the humble samosa was not given impetus it deserved. This bothered the duo, who later diverted their attention to the favourite Indian tea-time snack. “We came to know that India exports samosas to more than 140 countries across the world. Within India as well, nearly six crore samosas are sold every day. The fact that there was not even a single Indian brand solely focusing on serving samosas in different flavours under one roof led to the birth of Samosa Party in 2017,” says Amit. The Bangalore-based brand serves samosas in 14 distinct flavours. The menu has been decided on the basis of people’s tastebuds and geographical area. Amit explains that these distinct flavours are adapted from different parts of the country. “We have created our menu basis regional preferences. For example, if you go to Kolkata, people usually enjoy water chestnut (singhara) samosas. In Dehradun, noodle samosas are rage. In Rajasthan, people love to indulge in daal samosas and in Chennai and Hyderabad, onion samosas and mutton keema samosas are popular, respectively,” he clarifies. Within aloo samosa, the brand serves four distinct varieties. “Our Punjabi aloo samosa is for people who love spicy food, whereas khoya and aloo samosa (with raisins and dry fruits) is for those who crave for a sweeter version. We also have a spicy version as Jodhpuri aloo pyaaz samosa, which is our take on aloo pyaaz kachodi from Rajasthan. There is desi aloo samosa with peas, a staple version enjoyed in Delhi-NCR,” he explains. Besides these, one can find mutton keema, corn and cheese, onion patti, tandoori chicken, barbeque chicken and egg samosas. Samosas are considered unhealthy, as they are stored in unhygienic environment. Sometimes, the product is good but the experience gets compromised, as they are often wrapped in newspapers or paper bags while being sold. Use of pre-mixes further deteriorates their freshness. The brand is cautious of the quality they serve to customers. They maintain high quality standards while sourcing the ingredients, as well as preparing and serving the final product. All ingredients are sourced from certified vendors. In fact, the brand's quality and auditing team performs audits on these vendors and after ensuring that they have followed hygiene practices, they are taken onboard. The brand also refrains from using any food preservatives and maintains hygiene practices at all levels. Explaining the dos and don’ts, Amit says, “The oil that we use is changed regularly. Our chefs fry samosas after receiving the order so that they final product does not become stale and soggy. They refrain from making stuffing beforehand and storing them in a chiller. This helps in keeping them fresh till they are delivered to customers. We follow these attributes, despite the pandemic, along with other hygiene practices such as use of masks and gloves.” The brand is also working on some trials to launch fully-baked samosas as well. It also plans to open more stores in NCR and launch itself in Hyderabad.

Nothing can stop Bollywood actor Maniesh Paul from spreading his wings. After donning several hats of that of a radio jockey, singer, TV host, stage performer and podcaster, he will soon be seen on TV screens as a reality show host. We spoke to the actor, who got candid about his life. Excerpts… What kept you going during the lockdown? I am blessed to have such a wonderful family. I love spending time with them. I generally don’t find time to spend with them because most of the times I am travelling or shooting. The pandemic, in a way, was a blessing for me. I kept myself busy during the lockdown. I read, wrote poems, sang songs and made podcasts. I think we need to channelise ourselves to something positive rather than thinking that things are not working. How do you prepare yourself as a host before coming on the stage? I don’t follow a script. In fact, I cannot remember lines as I tend to get conscious. I believe in performing impromptu acts. I also try to be conversational as it makes the interactions engaging. Of all the roles that you have played so far, which role is close to your heart? The role of being an entertainer in close to my heart. Who is your favourite host? Amitabh Bachchan sir because the way he engages audiences, that is hands down the best thing a good host can do. Which genre are you keen to work in? I love thriller movies. Do you regret about something? I don’t have any regrets in my heart. I don’t keep a scope for negativity around me. I enjoy what I do. I try giving my best shot and even if I miss an opportunity, I don’t regret. It’s all in destiny. If something is destined to happen, it will and I am a firm believer in destiny. What is your dream role? I love Amitabh Bachchan sir’s role in Deewar and I wish someday I get that role. Do hosts get stereotyped? Sometimes, hosts do get stereotyped. But I think it is some people’s lack of vision. What is your message for the youth? Just stay positive and never give up. I feel sad when I hear about some of my friends who gave up because they couldn’t achieve what they wanted to. One should not give up so easily. It is important to stay focussed.

Sony Entertainment Television recently launched its upcoming show India’s Best Dancer in Delhi. Read on what the season 2 has in store for its audiences… Glitz, glamour and dance performances – the national capital witnessed an entertainment-packed afternoon. Sony Entertainment Television recently launched the second season of India’s Best Dancer with actor Maniesh Paul, who will also host the show. The channel gave the audiences a glimpse of the contestants. Four contestants, namely, Akash Tambedkar, Varun Dagar, Mohana Srivastava and Muskaan Singh, mesmerised audiences with their killer moves. While Mumbai-born Akash performed hip hop, Haryana-born Varun stole the show with his street dancing moves. Mohana, who is a professional lawyer, took the stage by storm with her killer belly dancing moves and Muskaan wooed audiences by performing Kathak. While interacting with the journalists, Maniesh was at his candid best. He said that the real reason that the show is back is due to the talent that is found in every nook and corner of our country. “The show is back to enable children to showcase their talent. Entertainment is essential to map the success of a show. So, the channel told me too to join the show,” he says with a smile. The actor promised that the season will be one-of-a-kind. “Since I am new, I will add that flavour in the show. Besides me, I think the contestants that we have shortlisted were exceptional. The competition is fierce this time and audiences will be able to see that while watching the show. That is why even the tagline is #BestKaNextAvtar,” he adds. The pandemic did not deter the spirit of the show. In fact, Maniesh says that it was shot during the pandemic, keeping all the norms in mind. While highlighting about the arrangements, the actor said, “The channel kept all the social distancing and other measures in mind. Even the set was sanitised regularly. People were asked to wear masks when they were not speaking their lines.” This is not the first time that the Mickey Virus actor is hosting a dance reality show. So, it was natural to ask if he wanted to learn any dance form. Apt comes his reply, “I would like to learn belly dancing.” The actor has worn the hat of a host several times. However, he says being a host is not as easy as it looks. “Being a host is not easy. I try to observe things, watch a lot of shows and read a lot to prepare myself. But simultaneously, I ensure to get connected to the contestants. I try controlling their nerves and keep them positive,” he shares. The second season of the show will see Malaika Arora, Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis as judges. They will be called E.N.T specialists, i.e., entertainment, newness and technique. While Malaika will assess the ‘entertainment' quotient in each act, Geeta will look for ‘newness' in the moves and Terence will look out for perfection in the ‘technique' used. India's Best Dancer will start airing from October 16, every Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m.

Artist Prabhakar Kotle has always allowed his creativity to flow freely. After a long gap of 15 years, the artist is set to unveil his show at Treasure Art Gallery, Defence Colony, New Delhi. In a tête-à-tête, he spilled the beans about his life, artistic style and the upcoming showcase. Artists, art connoisseurs and critics recognise artist Prabhakar Kotle’s works as abstract art. But the 76-year-old artist calls them as art and not abstract art. According to him, his artworks allow him to express his thoughts without any figurative structure on paper. “Abstract art is all about abstracting something and making a picture. Painting is my language. I don’t take a subject and paint something that is recognisable. Subject emerges out of my language,” he says. The artist defines abstraction as a kind of art that involves abstracting something out of concrete. Concrete, he says, pertains to thoughts through which an artist expresses himself/herself. In his latest show set to take place at Treasure Art Gallery, the artist has used the power of colours to reveal the concrete. Titled as The Mind’s Eye, the show will showcase 58 of his artworks that were created during the pandemic. Amongst canvasses and works on paper and drawings are three intriguing installations that add to Kolte’s repertoire of creativity. Describing the showcase, he says, “I created 150 pieces during the pandemic, of which 58 are on display. All are done in acrylic colours and some of them are big pieces.” The show can be viewed between 9 Oct–10 Dec 2021. His pathway to art As a child, Kotle’s maternal uncle was his inspiration that helped him discover art. He observed his uncle’s artworks who used the power of colours on paper to unwind. “I was intrigued by the use of colours and figures that he used to copy from his surroundings while painting. So, in 10th standard, I decided to pursue art as a career,” he says. His family supported his decision but his uncle didn’t. However, it didn’t impact his opinion. In 1968, he secured a seat in JJ School of Art, Mumbai, where he started learning art professionally. While he was excited to unveil the new chapter in his life, he didn’t like the idea of his school’s teaching style – copying things around him to create art. “It felt wrong to copy something. Though I was doing this work as a child in my home but I expected to learn something different at my art school. I felt if I had to do this, there was no need for me to join an art school,” he says. Within two years, he realised that figurative art was not his passion, as it didn’t allow him to think freely and creatively. Though he was uncertain about the path that he wanted to take, he was reluctant to follow the herd and copy the things that he saw around him. This behaviour wasn’t taken well by his teachers. He was often scolded for his actions. Tired of the mundane practice followed at his art school, Kotle resorted to reading art books. He discovered Picasso’s art books in the fourth and fifth year of his college. He also started studying works of Paul Klee, the Swiss-German artist. It was Klee’s works he says, that gave him the direction to move on in his artistic journey. “I still remember reading Klee’s words: ‘artist is a part of nature. He should behave and create like the nature’. That became my mantra. Since then, I decided to paint what I wanted to and found solace in abstract art,” he shares with a smile. Other passions When not painting, the artist enjoys teaching students, reading, poetry and writing. But he does not enjoy writing about random things. “Writing and poetry is also about my art. Sometimes, I use colours to define my artworks and sometimes, I use the power of words,” he says. On asking if he will ever transition to figurative art, apt comes the reply, “I may stop painting, but I will never go back to figurative art.”

After wrapping two films consecutively, Kiara Advani dives into marathon schedules next two films. After the success of Shershaah, actress Kiara Advani has cemented her position amongst the top-most actresses in the business. From winning the Smita Patil Global Memorial Award to bagging a spot in most-in demand actors across the globe, along with entering the Fab Four League of top Indian actresses, she has achieved several feats one after the another. The actress is now too busy with her jam-packed schedule. Having shot for three films (Bhool Bhulaiyya 2, Shashank Khaitan's next and Jug Jugg Jeeyo) at a time right after the extensive and exhaustive promotions of Shershaah, she continues to grind for her upcoming films without any break. After wrapping Bhool Bhulaiyya 2 and Shashank Khaitan's next earlier last month, Kiara began the marathon schedule for Jug Jugg Jeeyo in the beginning of October which will go on till mid-November. After that, she will instantly dive into her first pan-India film directed by S Shankar, co-starring Ram Charan.

Anubhav 3 will showcase works of several Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and national, as well as state awardees between 9-15 October 2021 online. Nearly 38 craft artists, 50 dancers, 44 musicians and more than 25 folk artists are set to come together to perform in an event titled Anubhav 3. Hosted by the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY), the week-long show will feature sessions on Carnatic and Hindustani classical music, classical dance forms, folk music and dance, traditional paintings and theatre. Audiences will be able to stream these programmes while sitting in the comfort of their homes on SPIC MACAY’s YouTube channel. The event will see participation from 15,000 students from India, the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Japan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, North Korea, Bangladesh and Malaysia. Students will pay an ode to India's 75th year of independence. Some of the workshops will begin as early as 4 a.m. These include an hour session each on Naad and Hatha yoga. Gurbani will also be streamed live from Shri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar between 6:30-7:00 am. Besides this, audiences will be able to participate in interactive sessions and concerts hosted by Indian classical music and dance maestros. Classic films will also be streamed. Besides this, audiences will be informed about India’s rich art culture. Nearly 38 master craft persons will share their knowledge and skills with students in traditional paintings. Among them are two Padma Shri awardees, namely, Shakir Ali from Jaipur School of miniature paintings and Bulu Imam, creator of Hazaribagh Cultural Trust. Explaining about the agenda, Manjari Sinha, says, “This is not just a painting workshop but we are looking at it as sharing of knowledge about India’s different art forms and the stories attached to them. We were initially thinking of starting 12 workshops but different institutions shared immense interest towards this convention. That is why we will conduct 38 workshops.” Some of the participating artists include renowned dancer Anwesa Mahanta, Kuchipudi dancer Vyjayanthi Kashi, Padma Shri awardee and Odissi dancer Ranjana Gauhar, Mohiniyattam exponent Dr Neena Prasad, Bharatnatyam dancer Vannadil Pudiyaveettil Dhananjayan, and Kuchipudi dancer Bhavana Reddy, to name a few. Other artists to showcase their art forms are Padma Vibhushan awardee Sangita Kalanidhi and Vidwan Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and Padma Bhushan awardees Vidwan TV Sankaranarayanan, Begum Parween Sultana, Dr L Subramaniam and Vidushi Sudha Ragunathan. The last day of the event will feature students' performances in art, dance, music and folk forms. Virtual heritage walks, museum tours and a western classical music concert will also be conducted before drawing the curtains.

People always take things for granted and ignore natural beauty. These artists have noticed beauty in mundane things and are presenting them in their artworks. Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. People living in cities often ignore natural beauty in things around them due to their busy lives. Five young artists have come together to remind people to notice beautiful things in mundane surroundings in an art exhibition titled ‘Citing Beauty – Reimagining the Mundane’. The show, taking place at Exhibit 320 in Lado Sarai, New Delhi, displays works of Suryakanta Swain, Sonali Sonam, Khageswar Rout, Nayanjyoti Barman and Pappu Bardhan. Describing the theme of the exhibition, Rahul Kumar, the curator, says, “It is not about creating beauty but citing it as it exists with things that are not so beautiful like concrete structures and other man-made things. All artists have looked at their respective environments, whether urban or where they grew up, and have sieved through them and found beauty.” The artists have used simple ideas and connected them with traditional techniques. For instance, Swain has taken inspiration from the ideas of co-existing and diverse cultures of hyperactive city lives. His works showcase rubbles, rocks and pieces of cement and concrete. He has shown detailed and delicate lines in rocks to familiarise their natural beautify. These lines are represented through the traditional weaving technique that pertains to his village. He has added embellishment to his mundane looking rocks and their shadows. Sonam’s artworks in miniature-style represent urban landscape without any concrete structures, such as buildings and roads, as well as other man-made things. She has tried to capture the attention of visitors towards natural beauty. Bardhan has depicted nuisances from his past in his artworks. The artist has considered large images of jackfruits and papayas as enclosed forms just like a protective womb. The artist has taken references from the rural area where he grew up and has portrayed its natural beauty on paper. Kumar describes Bardhan’s artwork as organic and detailed. “The human figures in his work depict scenes of Mumbai local and Delhi Metro primetime scene. What’s funny is that we call Mumbai local and Metro as lifelines. But forests are our true lifelines, which we are destroying to build rail tracks. So, there is an irony, as one lifeline (train tracks) is killing another (trees and plants),” he adds. Similarly, Barman’s works also relate to his past. The Bengal-based artist has made a composition of a collapsed building out of discarded cardboards (used as packaging material) and jute. He has added white paper to depict doors and windows of the building. This technique has been lifted from the way pandals are decorated for Durga Puja and evokes nostalgia. Rout's sculpture in terracotta represents the inside of a vegetable or a fruit. The artist has used vegetation and vegetable forms to create structures. He also referred to science and geometry and studied them to recreate these pieces in an abstract way. The show is open to public till 16 October from 11 am to 6:30 pm.

The actor has been nominated for the Best Actor in the Asia Content Awards for playing Ipsit Nair in Ray. Bollywood actor Ali Fazal has bagged the nomination for Best Actor at the Asia Content Awards (ACA). The actor has been chosen for his role as Ipsit Nair in Forget Me Not, one of the four films in the Ray anthology on Netflix. The film, directed by Srijith Mukherji, showed Ali as a cut-throat corporate shark with a memory of a computer. Its story was a modern interpretation of Satyajit Ray’s story 'Bipin Chaudhary Ka Smriti Bhram.’ Soon after the announcement of the nominations, the actor said, “This was totally unexpected. I am so humbled to receive this nomination and it means a lot to be recognised by ACA. A lot of great content was produced this year in Asia and to land, a nomination amongst such an impressive lineup of films and actors is an honour.” This award this year is run by the Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents & Film Market. This year, the nominations were dominated by Korean dramas and Netflix originals.

Artist Bikash Chandra Senapati's latest artworks show his life’s goals and the journey that he has travelled so far. Bikash Chandra Senapati always had an interest in art. But he had never imagined to make a career as an artist. However, very early in his life, his teachers recognised his potential. In fact, they persuaded his father to take Bikash to an art school to hone his skills. His teachers’ efforts didn’t go in vain. In class 10, the Odisha-born artist decided to pursue his hobby as a career. To turn his dreams into reality, he studied at SP Government School of Art and Craft in the 11th and 12th standard. Thereafter, he completed his Bachelors in Painting from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad. However, soon after completing his Bachelor’s degree, things did not sailed smoothly. His family’s financial conditioned worsened. Due to which, he was compelled to take a break from studies. “We were facing financial instability at home and that's when I decided to look out for work. But I could not find any job so I started freelancing as an artist for four years between 2013-2017 to support my family and earn livelihood,” he shares. In 2017, the artist decided to pursue Masters. He took a degree in printmaking from Indrakala Sangeet Vishwavidhalaya in Chattisgarh. There he learnt wood cut and etching techniques. The artist now uses these techniques in his artworks. He recently showcased some of the pieces at an art exhibition at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi. The exhibition titled ‘Nirupan’ was his take on nature. His subjects demonstrated inner dualities in interactions between human and nature, subtleties in various aspects of forests, disappearance, mystery and tests of self-identification in a developing urbanity. The artist used geometric shapes, such as circles, triangles, squares and rectangles, along with lines to depict his emotions. Senapati described his recently-concluded artworks as his take on nature. “I observed the nature and tried to present its beauty in my language,” he says. The artist used wood cut, etching, viscosity and lithography (carving on stone) in his artworks. The artist describes the wood cut technique as an impression art. "It involves working in layers. In this, carving is done on a block of wood. I have used a roller and black ink since it is a black and white work and added a paper on the wood. I then pressed the surface with a hard material like a bowl so that the impression comes on the surface of the paper,” he says. One of the artworks, which the artist describes as self-exploration, shows his journey. “I have tried to put myself as the centrepiece in this artwork," he says. The artwork shows his life’s goals and the journey that he has travelled so far in life. "The zigzag lines at the bottom of the artwork shows the ups and downs that I have faced so far. I have tried showing that both highs and lows are part of life that help us achieve our goals. Even if I don’t achieve what I aim for in life, I will reach at some point from where I stand today,” he says with a smile. Though it is unclear where life will take him in the future but looking at his journey, it is certain that he will continue his passion for art despite all odds.